What are the symptoms of a bad inner CV joint?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a bad inner CV joint are: 1. Abnormal noise when the steel balls are stuck; 2. The steel balls are crushed, and the engine's power cannot be transmitted to the wheels, making the vehicle unable to move. The inner CV joint consists of a bell-shaped housing, a tripod bearing or steel balls, a dust cover, a retaining ring, and grease. The CV joint, also known as a constant velocity universal joint, functions to transfer the engine's power from the transmission to the two front wheels, driving the car at high speeds. The friction surface of the CV joint has high rigidity and requires a rubber boot for protection to prevent water and sand particles from entering. The ingress of sand particles can accelerate wear, create gaps, and cause damage to the front axle steering ball joint tie rod rubber boot and the entire suspension system.
Well, my own car had a bad inner CV joint before, and the symptoms were super obvious! The most noticeable was the metallic 'clunk clunk' sound from the chassis during acceleration, kinda like gears grinding. The faster you went, the quicker the sound repeated. Another thing was the car would noticeably hesitate during hard acceleration, sometimes jerking a bit before moving forward, as if the power couldn’t be delivered properly. The noise got even worse when you turned the steering wheel all the way and started moving or took a turn. If you see black grease splattered on the chassis or wheels, it means the rubber boot is torn and the lubricant has leaked out—that’s when you really need to get it checked ASAP. Don’t delay! I put it off too long last time, and the sound just kept getting louder until the car started thumping and shaking, even the steering wheel vibrated. It was undrivable by then.
